Colorado State University (CSU) system, comprised of three universities in the state, has announced the creation of a new $1.5m venture capital fund to drive innovation in the area.

Applications are open to students, staff and faculty of the CSU system for projects and initiatives up to $500,000, which chancellor Mike Martin hopes will aid in bridging the $160m drop in state funding for CSU since 2009.

He said: “The goal of this new venture capital fund from the CSU…